"Real life" vampires are people with personality disorders who have convinced themselves that they need to ingest blood and/or psychic vampires who similarly feel compelled to drain energy from others so as to stabilize their own in favor of seeking a more permanent situation with their own energy.

The modern myth of the vampire generally stems from various serial killers of the mid-ages, and the widespread epidemics of tuberculosis (also known as consumption) which would often leave freshly buried corpses appearing to have blood on their lips and mouths, while the rest of the flesh would shrink away making it appear as fangs, hair, and nails had grown.

Werewolves are generally attributed to individuals infected with rabies.